01/31/2022
There will be storms in our lives, and some of them will be quite fierce, but none rage so violently that Jesus can’t still them for us. Sometimes we think it is impossible for calm to return, and we cry out to Him in our distress just hoping that He will join us in its midst, and comfort us as we tremble, never dreaming that our predicament can be resolved, but in such times the miracles come. In the darkest hours, and when we are leaning into the strongest gales, this is when Jesus speaks, our troubles abate, and God is glorified. Have you ever screamed out His name “JESUS!” at the height of your fear, or from the depths of despair?
“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Mark 4:39 ESV
Many believers find themselves in such moments! There is a country music song sung by Carrie Underwood that gained so much popularity that it crossed boundaries into various other genres of music. Sure the tune was catchy, and her voice amazing, but what was really responsible for the success of that song was the fact that so many people could relate to such times in their lives. The song was called “Jesus Take the Wheel”, and it is about a mother driving home in a snow storm when she loses control of her car on the ice, and cries out “JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!”. In this song the young woman is saved, and her life is changed, but like all of us who have faced such desperation, she really didn’t know what would happen at that moment.
To listen to the song you can go to this link. It is a gospel conversation put to music… https://youtu.be/lydBPm2KRaU
The disciples felt the same way when they were caught on the sea in a raging storm. They were terrified, and thought this would be the end of their lives, but they looked at Jesus and He was asleep in the stern of the boat where the rudder was. Listen as Mark describes the scene that night…
“And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?””
Mark 4:36-38 ESV
Doesn’t this sound a lot like our storms? We are sinking, and trembling in our fear. We can see no way out, so we shake Jesus, and shout at Him “CAN’T YOU SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?!” Or maybe we just let go of the wheel believing all is lost, and ask Him to take it from us? It is in such moments that we learn the ultimate lesson in every storm… faith, and suddenly our fear in life becomes the fear of God.
“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?””
Mark 4:39-40 ESV
Sometimes we pray for such miracles, or give ourselves over to God in what we perceive to be the end, but when the miracles occur; when the car comes safely to a stop, or the storm is suddenly calmed, we find ourselves in that spiritual place where we must either live out our faith, walk back to our life of little faith, or turn away in total disbelieve. We are at that moment when we have come face to face with God, and must determine which direction we will go. This is when we feel the fear of God, and must decide how we will react to it. We have to ask ourselves if we truly believe He is our God, and be willing to give our lives over to Him completely, or fail to learn what true faith is.
“And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?””
Mark 4:41 ESV
Have we experienced such a storm in our lives? Are we being tossed about by one right now? Is our car spinning out of control as we decide whether we can let loose of the wheel? If so, whose name will we call out? Will our desperation be so complete that in the pangs of our faith’s birth we will scream out “JESUS!”, and turn to Him without reservation? If this has already occurred in our life, what did we learn about our faith… did we learn the depth of what it means to fear God, or did we fail the lesson?
The disciples reached the other side of the sea, and went about their lives with Jesus, but we aren’t told their response to the question they asked of themselves… “Who then is this?” How will we decide? What will our answer be?
“They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.”
Mark 5:1-2 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus who stills the seas, and takes the wheel of our life when troubles overcome us. Thank you for these, your lessons on faith, and help us through your Holy Spirit, to make the perfect choice… which is to pronounce our faith in Jesus, and to face our fear in you, by turning our lives over to you completely. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who leads us to yourself through Christ, and is with us always. Praised be your name in every storm, and for every lesson we learn there, but especially for the lesson of faith. Merciful and patient are you that there are many storms, and that you are there with us in each of them. Your grace abounds and though we fail to find our belief in you in one, you lift us up, and prepare us for our next lesson. We pray that you will help us overcome our unbelief, our times of little faith, and especially to answer the call for us to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. By Him we come to you, because only by His blood can we be saved. Save us Jesus, transform us through the ice, storm, or whatever tribulation will turn our faces towards you. Make us perfect as you are perfect… one degree at a time, so that we can stand before God having sought out our own salvation in fear and trembling with you at our side, and now find ourselves faithful, and worthy of eternity in our Father’s presence…. Hear us now… Jesus take the wheel!
Rich Forbes